Speakers

Investor Conference, 8 April

Hackim Abdul

Director, EMEA Public Sector Group,
Citi

Hackim Abdul

Hackim is a Director in the London-based EMEA Public Sector Group and also doubles as Citi’s Country Representative for Ghana. He is responsible for origination and coverage of sovereigns, central banks and DFIs in Africa across international debt capital markets, bank financing and sovereign advisory. Prior to joining the Public Sector Group in 2019, he worked in Citi’s Leveraged Finance Portfolio Group, executing sponsor-led leveraged finance transactions in Western Europe. Hackim joined Citi as a Management Associate in 2013, working across different desks – corporate finance, equities research and structured trade and commodity finance in South Africa.

Prior to Citi, he worked for Chapel Hill Denham, an independent investment banking firm in Nigeria and Ghana. Hackim is a frequent contributor to public discourse on financing in Africa, including panels convened by the US Corporate Council on Africa, Business Council for International Understanding, Harvard Business School’s Africa Business Conference and a judge on Jack Ma’s Africa’s Business Heroes entrepreneurship competition. He holds a Bachelors degree in Business Administration from Ashesi University in Ghana and is pursuing an Executive MBA at the London Business School.

Arnaud Karl Adovelande

Coordinator of the Consignments, Deconsignments, & Product Development Department, CDC Bénin

Arnaud Karl Adovelande

Arnaud Karl Adovelande, Coordinator of the Consignments, Deconsignments, and Product Development Department at CDC Bénin, is a finance professional with over 16 years of experience. He holds a degree in finance from the University of Maryland in Washington, D.C. and has held strategic positions in leading institutions across North America.

At Wells Fargo Bank in Washington, D.C., he managed major financial operations, developing in-depth expertise in liquidity management and financial transactions. He later joined Laurentian Bank in Canada, where he oversaw liquidity management in the money market, further strengthening his financial management skills and resource optimization expertise.

In November 2016, Mr. Adovelande joined the Hydro-Québec Pension Fund, where he was responsible for money market operations. This experience allowed him to refine his skills in portfolio management and financial strategies tailored to large institutions.

In 2020, he returned to Benin and joined the Caisse des Dépôts et Consignations du Bénin as Treasurer. Since then, he has focused on resource mobilization, developing strategic partnerships, and creating innovative financial products to enhance CDC Bénin's capacity to meet institutional investors' needs and support the country's development policies.

Jean-Philippe Aithnard

Deputy Managing Director,
BOAD Titrisation

Jean-Philippe Aithnard

Jean-Philippe AITHNARD IS Deputy Managing Director of BOAD TITRISATION. He has 25 years' experience in finance. He began his career in 1997 in a securities consultancy firm as a financial analyst in derivatives, later taking on the responsibility of portfolio manager.

During his career, he has been involved in structuring, arranging and managing various structured products, as well as credit risk management for various institutions, including Laurentian Bank of Canada and National Bank of Canada.

Mr. AITHNARD holds an engineering degree from Ecole Polytechnique de Montréal, a master's degree in financial engineering from HEC Montréal and is a CFA charterholder.

Abi Ajayi

Head of Middle East & Africa, Primary Markets,
London Stock Exchange

Abi Ajayi

Abi Ajayi is Head of Primary Markets – Middle East and Africa at the London Stock Exchange with principal responsibility for the development of the capital markets business and promoting the unique market model and benefits of listings.

Prior to joining the London Stock Exchange Group, Abi was responsible for coverage of key clients in Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding South Africa) at Bank of America. In this role he led various M&A and capital markets origination- successfully raising over $25bn for corporates, private equity, government, and government-related entities operating in the region.

Prior to his time at Bank of America, Abi worked at Chapel Hill Advisory Partners. Here, he led and executed capital raising and advisory transactions across different sectors including Oil and Gas, Fast Moving Consumer Goods and Financial Institutions. Notably, he advised on landmark transactions - advising the Central Bank of Nigeria on Financial System Stability and helping to restore Intervened Banks to a safe harbour.

Abi holds a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science with Economics, a Master of Science in Information Systems, and a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from the London Business School.

Dr Edoh Kossi Amenounve

CEO, BRVM

Dr Edoh Kossi Amenounve

Dr Edoh Kossi Amenounve holds a PhD in Administration and Finance from Laval University in Canada (1995) and an MBA (1992).

Dr Amenounve was appointed the CEO of the Bourse Régionale des Valeurs Mobilières (BRVM) in 2012, a role he currently holds.

He held dual roles, from October 2012 to June 2022, as CEO of the Bourse Régionale des Valeurs Mobilières (BRVM) and the Central Depository/Settlement Bank (DC/BR).

Dr Amenounve was the Secretary General of the Regional Council for Savings and Financial Markets (CREPMF), the financial market regulation authority of the West African Economic and Monetary Union (AMF- UMOA) from September 2003 to September 2012.

He is a past Chairman of the West African Capital Markets Integration Council (WACMIC).

Dr Amenounve is a past President and Member of the Executive Committee of the African Securities Exchanges Association (ASEA).

He has been a member of the NASDAQ Exchange Review Council since July 2021. He is also an Officer of the Order of MONO, the National Order of the Togolese Republic.

Dr Amenounve is considered one of the most influential finance specialists in Africa.

Franklin Olakunle Amoo

Co-founder & Managing Partner,
Baylis Emerging Markets

Franklin Olakunle Amoo

Franklin Olakunle Amoo is a co-founder and the Managing Partner of Baylis Emerging Markets, a leading pan-African investment firm with headquarters in New York and Lagos; he is also the Chairman of both Baylis Digital and Baylis Industrial. Prior to co-founding Baylis, Franklin helped lead the Strategic Credit Group at Mizuho Securities USA, the securities brokerage arm of the $1.8 trillion Mizuho Financial Group, overseeing the firm’s activities with regards to originating, structuring and trading illiquid and real assets. Prior to Mizuho, Franklin worked at Deutsche Bank, Bank of America and Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette.

He began his career as an analyst in the Media & Telecom Investment Banking Group at Bank of America. Franklin was appointed a member of the United States’ President’s Advisory Council for Doing Business in Africa (PAC-DBIA) in 2022 and serves as the chair of the PAC-DBIA’s ICT/Digital Subcommittee. He is also a board director for the US-Nigeria Council on Food Security, Trade & Investment (USNC) as well as an informal commercial liaison for the Japanese External Trade Organization (JETRO) where he advises several Japanese trading companies and multi-nationals on their African investments.

A Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst, Franklin holds a BA in Economics from Columbia University and an MBA from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania where he was a Howard E. Mitchell and a Venture Incubation Program Fellow.

Zin Bekkali

CEO and Group CIO,
Silk Invest

Zin Bekkali

Zin Bekkali has a proven track record in the asset management industry, having played various roles across asset classes. Over the years, he was at the forefront of developing and implementing industry best practices across investments, operations, marketing, business development and strategy.

His career has focused on investing in emerging markets, which is his deep passion.

In 2008, he brought together a unique team of investment partners and local investment talent to launch Silk Invest. The firm rapidly established itself as an impact-focused frontier markets specialist, and Zin was named "Frontiersman" by FTfm magazine in 2011. Silk Invest was able to develop its investment platform and product offering across asset classes.

His financial career started with ING Investment Management in The Hague as a Portfolio Manager before being promoted to Head of Marketing Services and a Business Manager. His next move was becoming a Consultant at Bain & Company. He moved to Fortis Investments as the Head of Promotion, Segmentation & Processes and later became the Head of Development & Processes. He left Fortis to start Silk Invest.

Zin has lived in different European and African countries and speaks Dutch, Arabic, French and English. He holds a Propedeuse degree in Econometrics and a Master’s in Operations Research & Management from the University of Amsterdam. Zin is a CFA charter holder and he completed his Executive MBA at the London Business School.

Jérémie Bismuth

Counsel, Gide

Jérémie Bismuth

Jérémie Bismuth is Counsel in the "Structured Finance" team in Gide's London office.

He advises international finance institutions and their clients in the structuration and negotiations of their domestic and cross-border structured financing and securitisation transactions.

He regularly works on a number of structured finance and securitisation transactions in northern Africa (Morocco, Tunisia) and western Africa (Côte d'Ivoire, Senegal, Mali, Chad, Togo or Burkina Faso) whether as advisor to the arrangers, the anchor investors or the borrowers and/or sellers.

Jérémie is currently advising the arranger on the implementation, structuring and finalisation of the first securitisation of mortgage receivables in the WAEMU zone.

He has also advised the International Finance Corporation as reference investor on the implementation, structuring and finalisation of the securitisation of receivables held by the PEPT Fund in Côte d'Ivoire.

He has been a member of the Paris Bar since 2010 and a Solicitor (England and Wales) since 2019.

Desire Bossou

Head of Operations and Public Securities Promotion,
UMOA-Titres

Desire Bossou

Desire Bossou holds an MBA in Banking and Finance. He has almost 18 years' experience in the banking and financial sectors.

For several years, he headed the treasury and ALM (Asset Liability Management) department within several banking groups, notably Societe Generale and Diamond bank.

He also holds a certificate in “Fixed Income: Market, Securities and Institutions” from the London School of Economics and Political Science.

Since April 2020, he has held the position of Head of Operations and Public Securities Promotion at UMOA-Titres.

Melissa Cook CFA

Managing Director,
African Sunrise Partners

Melissa Cook CFA

Melissa Cook has worked in capital markets and investment research for over 35 years. Since 2010, she has run African Sunrise Partners, a firm dedicated to bringing investment to Africa. In this role, she has made over 50 trips to 17 countries in sub-Saharan Africa to conduct research, develop a network and gather information for the benefit of her clients. She publishes research and offers advisory services to companies looking to invest in the region.

She also works as a consultant on feasibility studies and technical assistance in the telecommunications, technology and logistics sectors. Melissa has collaborated with Aziza from AZ Media PR across multiple countries, including Angola, South Sudan, and Namibia. Together, they have organized numerous investor roadshows and promotional campaigns, connecting executives from stock exchanges and representatives from governments and investment promotion agencies with potential investors.

Arsène Mahougnon Dansou

Managing Director, Banque Internationale pour l’Industrie et le Commerce Benin

Arsène Mahougnon Dansou

Mr Dansou has held positions of responsibility in banking, international financing, resource mobilization for development projects (infrastructure, energy, agribusiness), and public debt management for several organizations, governments and Development Finance Institutions. He has developed solid skills in financial engineering and analysis, structuring innovative financing (ECA financing, Eurobond issuance), risk management, credit insurance and political risk, as well as managing relations with bilateral and multilateral institutions and donors (IMF, World Bank, various development funds and financing.

Mr Dansou has experience in the auditing and accounting sector (in Cameroon); in banking (in Cameroon and Benin), in private equity in France and in credit, investment and political risk insurance on the African continent. Since June 2022, Mr. Dansou has been CEO of Banque Internationale pour l'Industrie et le Commerce (BIIC), where he drives a strategy focused on growth, innovation and support for productive sectors, in particular SMEs and agro-industrial transformation. Under his leadership, BIIC, the Bank of Benin, has been ranked among the top 200 banks in Africa, and 6th in the UEMOA according to Jeune Afrique (Champions de la finance 2024).

Prior to joining BIIC, Mr Arsène M. DANSOU headed the Caisse Autonome d'Amortissement (CAA), now Caisse Autonome de Gestion de la Dette (CAGD), responsible for managing Benin's public debt, for nearly four years. In this position, he represented Benin alongside the Minister of Economy and Finance, in negotiations and management of relations with donors (IMF, World Bank, various development finance funds).

He oversaw the reform of the CAGD and Benin's public debt management, as well as the implementation of the country's debt strategy and the proactive management of public debt, the implementation of modern and transparent tools in public finance, and the monitoring of public debt sustainability. Under his leadership, Benin and CAGD have received numerous distinctions for the quality of their debt management and the innovative nature of the financing structures implemented by Benin, in which CAGD is one of the leading players in application of its legal prerogatives.

Before joining CAGD, he was Regional Underwriter in charge of the French-speaking Africa portfolio at the Insurance Agency for Trade and Investment Development in Africa (ATIDI), a multilateral institution initiated by COMESA (The Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa) and financed by the World Bank for the promotion of foreign direct investment in Africa, from where he was seconded to the Government of Benin. At ATIDI, he was responsible for the French-speaking countries of West Africa through the provision of guaranteed solutions to promote trade, investment, and other activities in member countries. He was responsible for the institution's relations with governments (ministers of foreign affairs, finance, trade, etc.), parliaments and donors to the accession process (World Bank, ADB, EIB). He provided multi-billion guarantee coverage for strategic projects and contributed to the increase in Benin's capital contribution, and to the accession of Côte d'Ivoire, Niger, Cameroon and Senegal as members and shareholders of ATIDI.

He has been honored several times by the Republic of Benin for his contribution to Benin's recent financial performance history, including the historic issuance of Eurobonds, in particular the very first ODD Eurobond on the African continent, as well as the quality of Benin's public debt management and signature. In June 2023, Mr. DANSOU was cited by CIOViews magazine as “The Most Inspiring Leader in Finance and Sovereign Debt Management.

Kawtar Ed-Dahmani

MD, Portfolio Manager,
Barings

Kawtar Ed-Dahmani

Kawtar Ed-Dahmani is a portfolio manager and a senior Emerging Markets sovereign analyst for the Global Sovereign Debt and Currencies group at Barings. Kawtar has worked in the industry since 2009.

Prior to joining the firm in 2014, Kawtar was at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government where she completed a Master’s in International Development.

Prior to Harvard, she worked in Lazard’s Sovereign Advisory Group advising sovereign entities on debt restructurings, financing and banking sector reforms.

Kawtar holds a Master’s degree from HEC Paris and Ecole Polytechnique in France. She speaks Arabic, French and Spanish..

Edouard Bloch Escoffier

Executive Director,
Lion's Head Global Partners

Edouard Bloch Escoffier

Edouard Bloch Escoffier is an Executive Director at Lion’s Head Global Partners, an emerging and frontier market-focused investment banking and financial advisory firm. He has extensive experience in a variety of private and public management issues such as debt management, fiscal policy, investment in innovation and infrastructure, M&A and PPPs.

Before joining Lion’s Head, Edouard worked in the sovereign advisory industry at Global Sovereign Advisory and SouthBridge, where he executed several transactions in Africa, Central Europe and Central Asia (Equity fundraising, M&A, Public debt management, rating advisory, fiscal reforms) for governments, SOEs and MDBs.

Before that, Edouard was the Strategy and Finance Director of a €104 Bn sovereign fund dedicated to innovation to foster French potential growth, with transactions in industry, renewable energy, digital, education and research.

He spent four years at the Budget Directory of the French Ministry of Finance. He dealt successively with multi-year budgeting, evaluation of significant infrastructure projects and aid to firm budgeting. He took part in the definition of new regulations about corporate taxes and PPPs.

As a Strategy Consultant, he advised clients in the Public, Transportation and Financial sectors.

Between 2012 and 2022, Edouard has been a sessional lecturer in Public finance at Sciences Po Paris. He graduated from ESCP Business School and holds two Bachelor’s degrees in Arts from the Universities of Paris- Sorbonne (Philosophy) and Lyon (History).

Franck Fodvo, CFA

Investment Officer,
ALCB Fund

Franck Fodvo, CFA

Franck is an Investment Officer for the African Local Currency Bond Fund (ALCB Fund), which is managed by Cygnum Capital. He leads the ALCB Funds origination, structuring and execution in francophone African countries. Over the past few years, Franck has worked on several debt transactions in the UEMOA and CEMAC regions.

Before joining Cygnum Capital, Franck worked for Societe Generale Corporate and Investment Banking (SGCIB) for seven years. At SGCIB, he spent three and a half years in the Structured Financing department in London and three and a half years on the Equity Derivatives Trading desk in Paris as a Trading Support Analyst. He also worked for Credit Agricole Corporate and Investment Banking (CA CIB) in the Credit Portfolio Management department and for Amundi Asset Management in the Middle Office department.

Franck holds a master’s degree in Statistical and Financial Engineering from the Paris 2 Pantheon Assas University and Paris Dauphine University in France. He is a CFA charter holder. Franck is based in London but is originally from Cameroon and France.

Tedd George

Founder and Chief Narrative Officer,
Kleos Advisory

Tedd George

Tedd George (aka Dr Edward George) is the founder and Chief Narrative Officer of Kleos Advisory, which provides thought leadership and strategic advisory on emerging markets, commodity value chains and disruptive technology.

Drawing on more than 25 years of experience working in finance, commodities and African markets, Tedd advises companies and institutions working in Sub-Saharan Africa and delivers professional training on ESG and sustainable finance. Tedd has a diverse range of specialties, including African markets, disruptive technology (fintech, blockchain and trade tech), soft commodities (especially cocoa), agribusiness, trade and trade finance, and ESG.

Tedd is well known as a speaker, appearing regularly as chairman, keynote speaker and moderator within the world conference and webinar circuit. He is also a prominent commentator and content creator in the media.

Steven Gray, OBE

Regional representative for West Africa, UK Export Finance

Steven Gray, OBE

Steven Gray, OBE, is a seasoned business and finance professional with over three decades of experience advancing major projects across Africa and the Middle East, the last 13 years of which have been based in West Africa. Previously, Steven held senior positions in a range of industries — including trading, logistics, construction, infrastructure and mining — throughout Sub-Saharan Africa and the Middle East. His early career began in the UK construction sector, where he developed a practical understanding of project delivery that underpins his strategic approach to international business today.

Beyond his commercial roles, Steven has served in multiple non-governmental and advisory capacities. He was Vice Chairman of the UK-Ghana Chamber of Commerce and is a serving member. He also contributes his expertise as a member of the Economic Advisory Board of the British Chambers of Commerce and is leading an initiative to mobilise catalytic impact capital to drive sustainable human growth and shared prosperity in areas devastated by illegal mining activities in Ghana.

In June 2022, Steven’s dedication to strengthening British business interests in West Africa was recognised when he was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire. His influential leadership, deep regional knowledge and passion for sustainable economic development continue to drive impactful partnerships and strategic growth throughout Africa.

He holds an MBA from Heriot-Watt University and completed an Executive Leadership Program on Oil, Gas, and Mining Governance at the University of Oxford’s Blavatnik School of Government.

Adidjatou Hassan

Deputy Chief of Staff of the Senior Minister of Economy and Finance of Benin & President of Benin’s National Carbon Projects Registration Authority

Adidjatou Hassan

Deputy Chief of Staff of the Senior Minister of Economy and Finance of Benin & President of Benin’s National Carbon Projects Registration Authority

Adidjatou HASSAN, French-Beninese nationality is a financial service professional with over 20 years of international experience in project management, risk management, audit, strategic planning, and sustainable finance. She has a proven track record in financial services (financial structuring, SME financing, climate and sustainable finance) in emerging markets, with a strong commitment to Africa’s economic growth and sustainable development.

Since August 2021, she is the Deputy Chief of Staff of the Senior Minister of Economy and Finance, leading efforts to mobilize international private sector funding for flagship government projects. In April 2023, she was appointed President of Benin’s National Carbon Projects Registration Authority. As climate Envoy of the Senior Minister, she develops and leads Benin’s climate financing strategy to attract private investment, climate and sustainable finance Before joining the Ministry of Economy and Finance, she held leadership roles at the African Guarantee Fund for Small and Medium Size Enterprise Group in Nairobi and Lomé managing the West African affiliate. Prior to joining AGF Group, she occupied several transformation and risk management positions at IDEMIA and Audit manager at Deloitte in Paris, managing financial risk, internal and external controls, and strategic growth initiatives across multiple countries.

An Afro-optimist, she firmly believes that SMEs, women, and young people are the driving forces behind Africa’s economic growth, with sustainable development as the key.

Sassou Hunzunken

Director of Issuers,
AMF-UMOA

Sassou Hunzunken

Sassou HUNZUNKEN has over 17 years of professional experience in the regional financial market of the UMOA. He has held senior management positions in several organizations, including the General Secretary of the Financial Markets Authority of the West African Monetary Union (AMF-UMOA), where he currently holds the position of Director of Issuers.

In this position, he coordinates activities relating to the appraisal of capital raising operations on the financial market, as well as those linked to financial information and market development. These experiences have strengthened his involvement in the regulation and supervision of the UMOA regional financial market, as well as in related developments, including cooperation with other regulators and development partners.

He holds a master’s degree from the University of Paris - Dauphine, and has continually enriched his expertise, notably with the International Organization of Securities Commissions (IOSCO), to meet the demands of his technical and managerial responsibilities.

In 2016, Sassou HUNZUNKEN completed the Program For Leadership Development (PLD) at Barcelona's IESE Business School, co-developed with MDE Business School.

Babacar Ka

Partner,
Development Partners International (DPI)

Babacar Ka

Babacar Ka is a Partner at Development Partners International (DPI) with over 20 years of experience in private equity and investment advisory, including 15 years dedicated to investing in Africa. He leads DPI’s investment activities in Francophone Sub-Saharan Africa, overseeing sourcing, structuring, and exits, and serves on multiple boards, including Solevo Group, COFINA Group, Atlantique Business International (Banque Atlantique Group), and KMR Holding Pédagogique.

Babacar has played a key role in private equity and M&A transactions totaling more than $3 billion, driving value creation across diverse sectors. Prior to joining DPI, he held positions at Standard Bank and the International Finance Corporation (IFC), where he gained extensive experience in financial markets and investment strategies.

Beyond his investment work, Babacar is a Trustee of the Royal African Society, an organization dedicated to fostering a better understanding of Africa and strengthening connections between the continent and the rest of the world.

He holds a BSc in Finance from the University of California, Riverside, and an MBA from the University of Oxford.

Justin N’Goran Koffi

CEO,
ARRE Côte d'Ivoire

Justin N’Goran Koffi

Prof Justin Koffi is a distinguished professional and academic with a solid background in various fields. He is the CEO of the Regulatory Authority for the Warehousing Receipts System (ARRE) in Côte d'Ivoire.

He is a university professor with diverse expertise in Development, Education, Training, Research, Health, and Management.

Professor Koffi was elected Rapporteur General of the 40th and 41st Sessions of Working Group 1 of the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL) on Warehouse Receipts.

He has held key positions such as Chief of Staff at the Ministry of Health, President of the Scientific Commission (COP 15), State Inspector, and Head of Department at Félix Houphouët Boigny University.

Professor Koffi is a member of several learned societies and organisations and has been awarded various awards and distinctions, including Officer in the National Order, Excellence Awards in France and Côte d'Ivoire. His awards are testimony to his dedication and commitment to his country and African integration.

Doneci Kone

Deputy Managing Director of Financing, Ministry of Finance and Budget, Côte d'Ivoire

Doneci Kone

Doneci Kone is Deputy Managing Director of Financing, at Côte d’Ivoire’s Ministry of Finance and Budget. In this capacity he is actively involved in all capital raising activities from the private debt markets, the capital markets, as well as from the multilateral and bilateral institutions. His responsibilities also span across risk and treasury management. He joined the Ivorian public sector in 2021 as an advisor at the office of the President of the Republic.

Doneci started his career as a Mergers & Acquisitions and Restructuring analyst at Evercore in New York, before spending a number of years in Private Equity as an Associate at Soros Fund Management, and most recently as a Principal at BC Partners. He holds an MBA from Harvard Business School, and a BSc in Finance and Actuarial Science from the Leonard N. Stern School of Business, New York University.

Dr Parfait Kouassi

Chairman of the BRVM

Dr Parfait Kouassi

Chairman of the BRVM

Maryse Lokossou

Managing Director, Caisse des Dépots et Consignations du Bénin (CDC Bénin)

Maryse Lokossou

Maryse Lokossou is a Beninese woman with over eighteen years' professional experience, stemming from an international and institutional itinerary. She has built her professional career within major international banking groups such as Societe Generale and the FORTIS bank, acquired by the BNP-PARIBAS group. She is one of Africa's leading women in banking and finance. Maryse LOKOSSOU is an Officer of the National Order of Merit of Benin. She holds an Executive MBA from HEC Paris.

Maryse is the winner of the French African Foundation's Young Leaders 2021 award. She was appointed to the position of Managing Director of the Caisse des Dépôts et Consignations du Bénin at one of the July 2023 sessions of the Council of Ministers. This appointment follows her previous role as Director of the Cabinet of the President of the West African Development Bank (BOAD).

Maryse was born in Côte d'Ivoire on June 4, 1981, to a father who is a civil engineer and a mother who is an economist. She is the third of six children, and the eldest of two daughters. Empowered by her parents from an early age, she cultivated a culture of results and excellence. She spent most of her school career in Côte d'Ivoire. She moved in her final year to Annemasse, a town on the French-Swiss border, where she obtained her Baccalauréat Scientifique.

Vivek Mittal

CEO & Member of the Board,
Africa Infrastructure Development Association (AfIDA)

Vivek Mittal

Vivek Mittal is the CEO and member of the Board of Africa Infrastructure Development Association (AfIDA). In this role he has led the creation of the Catapult Accelerator for start-up developers of infra. This is a mentorship and peer-peer learning program, aimed at scaling private investment with better outcomes in terms of speed, scale and quality of projects. Over ten live pitch sessions, thirty developers of projects from eighteen countries have pitched projects totalling $ 20 billion in investment. These are private sector and PPP projects from energy, digital-ICT, water, irrigation, rail, airport, SEZ and new-cities. Beyond the Catapult, AfIDA runs a successful training program in project development finance, and engages Governments and stakeholders in improving the enabling environment for infrastructure investments on the Continent.

Prior to this role, over the previous twenty-five years in international energy and renewable energy sector, he has straddled roles as lender, investor and developer on over sixty projects in twenty-five countries. He has promoted clean energy start-up IPPs in India, Sri Lanka, CEE and USA over fifteen years, and serves as the Independent Investment Committee Member on Crescent Capital’s clean energy fund - the first clean energy fund to focus on Turkey and South Eastern Europe. Between 1993-2006 he held senior project finance roles in International banks and corporates, including ING Bank, Enron Europe Limited, Edison Capital Europe Limited, and Bank of Scotland (HBOS plc).

He holds an MBA from Rotterdam School of Management and MSc (Tech) in Instrumentation from the Birla Institute of Technology in India. He lives with his wife and two children in London.

Khady Evelyne Denise Ndiaye

Director Private Sector,
WAEMU Commission

Khady Evelyne Denise Ndiaye

Ms Khady Evelyne Denise NDIAYE is Senegalese. She holds a Master 2 in Economic Intelligence from the University of Toulouse I, a Master 2 in Private Sector Development and Financing from the University of Auvergne-Clermont Ferrand I and an Honorary Doctorate from the African Institute of Applied Multidisciplinary Research and the Centre de Valorisation Professionnelle in Tunis.

In 2010, after working for the Limousin Regional Economic Development Agency as a business intelligence officer, she joined the West African Economic and Monetary Union (UEMOA) Commission. In October 2015, she was recruited as Strategic Intelligence Officer and was appointed Private Sector Officer. In May 2016, she became Head of the Business Climate.

Since January 2019, she held the position of Director of the Private Sector at the UEMOA Commission and coordinates four (04)

Divisions including:

Business Climate
Business Competitiveness
Promotion of Quality
Handicrafts and Very Small Enterprises

She participates in the definition, implementation and evaluation of the Union's strategies, policies and regulations in the fields of Crafts, Industry, Enterprise Competitiveness, Business Climate Improvement, Investment Promotion, Crafts, Quality Promotion and Consumer Protection.

From January 2018 to January 2023, she was Chairman of the Management Committee of the Mutuelle de l'UEMOA. In 2021, she obtained the CP3P certification from the World Bank Group, and got the title of International Expert in Public-Private Partnership. She was ranked in the Top 500 of “African DOERS”, Tropics Magazine. In 2022, she won the Panafrican Corporates Awards' Innovative African Woman Leader Prize.

In 2023, she became ‘Ambassador of UEMOA SMEs’ at the Salon des Banques et des PME de l'UEMOA. Ms. NDIAYE was ranked in the Choiseul Africa top 100 in 2023, 2024 and in 2025, she was nominated in the Woman Manager Leader category of the Cauris d'or organized by the Mouvement des Entreprises du Sénégal.

She is the author of two collective works, “l'intelligence économique en Afrique” in 2019, and “l'Afrique de l'innovation”, in 2023

David Omojomolo

Africa Economist,
Capital Economics

David Omojomolo

David Omojomolo is an Africa Economist at Capital Economics, specializing in Sub-Saharan African economies. Of Nigerian descent, David has shown a keen interest in the region’s prospects, with recent research covering topics including economic reforms in Nigeria, regional debt distress risks and monetary policy outlooks.

David regularly presents to clients and has been widely quoted by the world’s leading media organisations, including the Financial Times, Bloomberg, BBC and Reuters. He holds an masters in Health Economics from the University of York and a degree in Biochemistry from the University of Nottingham.

Nicolas Pitiot

Investment Director,
British International Investment

Nicolas Pitiot

Nicolas Pitiot joined BII in 2015 as Investment Director to help significantly grow BII’s Project Finance and Infrastructure debt investments portfolios and strengthen BII’s origination and execution capabilities in that field. He is Project Finance Regional Lead for West Africa & Pakistan as well as Project Finance Global Portfolio Director; he also leads BII’s Transport centre of excellence.

Nicolas has 25 years of experience in Corporate Banking, Project Finance and Structured Finance, of which 20 exclusively in emerging markets and the last 18 years focusing on Africa.

Prior to joining BII, Nicolas was Head of Project & Structured Finance at FBN Bank UK where he set up the department from scratch, building a portfolio of transactions across Sub-Saharan Africa in sectors such as energy, infrastructure, power, transport and construction. Previously, Nicolas was a Vice-President at Bank Of Africa UK, a Senior Associate with Bank ABC Europe and a Project Manager with BNP Paribas.

Nicolas holds an MBA from London Business School.

Sharma Rambocus

Managing Director, Head of Global Markets, Africa,
DMBL UK

Sharma Rambocus

Managing Director, Head of Global Markets, Africa, DMBL UK
Executive Board Member of Education at ACIFMA Paris

Sharma Rambocus is a highly accomplished financial markets professional with nearly 20 years of experience in investment banking, spanning South Africa, Mauritius and the UK. He has held senior leadership roles, including Head of Trading and Head of Sales, at prestigious institutions such as Investec Group, Barclays Africa Group Limited, Absa Group, Société Générale Investment Banking and DMBL UK.

Currently serving as a Managing Director at DMBL UK, Sharma is responsible for driving the growth of the African business, working closely with banks, central banks, hedge funds, supranationals and asset managers across multiple jurisdictions. His expertise extends beyond the private sector, as he also actively participates in key public sector projects within the UK- Africa partnership, fostering financial collaboration and investment opportunities. In addition to his corporate leadership, Sharma has played a significant role in financial market education and governance.

He has held several high-profile positions within the Association Cambis1te Internationale (ACI) and currently serves as an Executive Committee Member of ACI’s Global Board of Education, contributing to the advancement of industry standards and professional development in global financial markets. With his deep market knowledge and extensive network, Sharma continues to be a driving force in shaping financial strategies and cross-border partnerships in the African and international banking landscape.

Charles Robertson

Chief economic advisor to Group CEO, Equity Group Holdings
Head of Macro-strategy, FIM Partners

Charles Robertson

Author: The Fastest Billion (2012), The Time Travelling Economist (2022)

Charles Robertson is a leading emerging and frontier markets specialist. He covers global economic themes with the greatest impact on emerging and frontier markets, including democratisation, demographics, education, electricity, ESG, fertility, pension funds, savings, terrorism and key ways to examine exchange rates, debt and equities in emerging and frontier markets.

In his previous roles, Charles was voted the number 1 frontier analyst in the Extel survey in 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020. He was named the number 1 frontier analyst in Institutional Investor in 2019, and Renaissance Capital was the number 1 rated frontier firm in 2016 and 2017. He was previously ranked the number one economics and macro analyst for emerging Europe, the Middle East and Africa in the Extel survey in 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2010.

In 2021, he was the first non-African to receive the African Icon award from African Banker, as his work helped change perceptions about Africa and position the continent as a serious investment destination.

Charles graduated from the London School of Economics in 1993 and worked at a UK parliamentary defence think-tank and a research boutique until joining the financial services industry in 1998.

Dr Ayo Salami

Chief Investment Officer, Emerging Markets Investment Management (ENIM)

Dr Ayo Salami

Dr Ayo Salami been involved in researching and investing in financial markets for over 30 years and has acquired substantial knowledge and experience on Emerging Market economies and companies. Ayo is currently Chief Investment Officer at Emerging Markets Investment Management Ltd (EMIM) and was named CIO of the year at the Investment Excellence Awards in 2014.

Ayo has substantial experience as a practitioner in the financial markets where he was involved in originating and structuring corporate acquisitions, capital raising via initial public offerings, developing and working with complex cashflow models and the use of advanced valuation methodologies. In the early years of his career, Ayo worked at Nomura International where he was the senior equity analyst. He initiated Nomura’s coverage of Africa and over the years has acquired substantial knowledge and experience on African economies and companies.

Prior to his investment banking career Ayo taught undergraduate and post graduate courses at Kingston University Business School, Bayes Business School, Birbeck College University of London. Ayo is a Chartered Accountant (ICAEW). Ayo obtained his BA Economics degree from Leeds University, MSc in Accounting and Finance degree from London School of Economics and PhD from City University.

Aum Thacker

Investment Professional,
TLG Capital

Aum Thacker

Aum serves on the investment team of TLG Capital, a leading alternative asset manager specializing in Sub-Saharan Africa. Aum also serves on the Investment Committee of the firm's $200m flagship fund series, the TLG Africa Growth Impact Fund. Aum focuses, in particular, on transaction execution across sectors with particular experience in financial services, healthcare, and consumer businesses.

Guy Tossou

Senior Portfolio Manager, Emerging Market Fixed Income,
BNP Paribas

Guy Tossou

Guy is a member of the Global Fixed Income group at BNP PARIBAS Asset Management.

He is a Senior Portfolio Manager for local and hard currency bond within the Emerging Market Fixed Income team. In this role, Guy is responsible for frontier market investments covering developing countries in Asia and Africa.

Guy joined BNPP AM in 2009 through a predecessor, Fortis Investments, where he spent ten years, initially serving as an analyst working with portfolio managers to implement investment decision in portfolios as well as running the portfolios’ risk management, and later embraced the global fixed income trading function as the Head of the Emerging Markets Fixed Income Trading.

Previously, Guy was an Associate Portfolio Manager at FP Consult, an emerging market bond and equity boutique in Paris (France).

He started his career in the industry at Oddo Asset Management in 1998 as an Assistant Finance Manager.

Guy has over 25 years of industry experience during which he successfully set up a Frontier Emerging Market franchise both in trading and portfolio management and built a strong reputation among his extensive networks. Beyond finance, Guy is a champion of financial inclusion and sustainable investment, advocating for innovative solutions to accelerate Africa’s economic transformation.

Guy holds a graduate degree in Finance and Accountancy from Conservatoire National des Arts et Métiers in France and an MBA Essentials from The London School of Economics and Political Sciences (LSE) in the United Kingdom. Guy is based in London.